The 2020 iPhone SE Makes Absolutely No Sense

Apple has finally announced the second-generation iPhone SE, and contrary to all the rumors, it’s not called iPhone 9 (even though at some level, this made so much sense).

The new iPhone SE is technically a lightweight iPhone 11 into the body of the iPhone 8, which has already been discontinued following the debut of the new model.

“iPhone SE packs our most powerful chip into our most popular size at our most affordable price. It’s just what you’ve been waiting for,” Apple says.

In just a few words, the 2020 iPhone SE is essentially a new iPhone with an old design sporting new hardware and old features. If that doesn’t make any sense to you, let’s have a closer look at the whole thing.

The new iPhone

The purpose of the iPhone SE was to convince users sticking with older iPhones to upgrade to newer hardware and benefit from the latest Apple products and services.

To do this, Apple used the smallest iPhone design at that point but installed new hardware to give a boost in terms of performance.

The same approach was used this time, so the 2020 iPhone SE is larger than the previous model. It uses the same name most likely to retain some consistency for those considering an upgrade, but aside from this, when comparing the two models side by side, the 2020 version is as totally different version.

The old design

The 2020 iPhone SE uses the design of the iPhone 8, so it boasts a 4.7-inch display and a front-facing home button with integrated Touch ID.

There’s no notch, as this remains a feature exclusive to the new and more premium iPhones, and no Face ID, as Apple wanted the device to be as cheap as possible.

In other words, the 2020 model looks like a 2017 model from every single angle.

New hardware

Just like the original iPhone SE, this new version features latest-generation hardware, so it’s equipped with an A13 Bionic chip and runs on the third-generation Neural Engine. There’s a 12-megapixel wide camera with OIS, portrait mode, 5x digital zoom and other features borrowed from the iPhone 11.

Some sources claim the device also uses 3GB RAM. iPhone SE also features an IP67 rating and can be ordered with 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB storage.

Old features

Despite the welcome hardware upgrades, the 2020 iPhone SE comes with features that have previously been abandoned, including Touch ID, at a time when Apple is all about Face ID.

Touch ID uses a fingerprint sensor for authentication and unlocking, instead of facial recognition as it’s the case of the new-generation iPhones (iPhone X and newer).

Considering all of these and despite the $399 starting price, the 2020 iPhone SE doesn’t make much sense going forward.

I understand Apple’s desire to convince users to upgrade to new hardware and try out services like Apple Pay and Apple Music, but launching a smartphone that looks like a 2017 model and packing hardware that was already abandoned could make many consider it an outdated device.

And yes, I know that there are so many…